The following is a collection of short interviews of teachers at Seattle Academy. All were asked the same three questions “Where did you go to college?” “Why did you choose that school?” and “In hindsight, were you happy with your choice?”

Seattle Academy senior Genevieve Goodman '17 is well on her way to becoming the next star of Saturday Night Live. Just a year after her first comedic role in the SAAS production of Hotel Paradiso, Genevieve has not only taken an independent study in comedy but has also founded a SAAS comedy club.

Genevieve’s first foray into the world of comedy was prompted by a small misfortune. When a scene in Hotel Paradiso was cut, leaving her with only two lines, she “decided [she] was going to make the most out of them.” Instead of relying on her lines to capture the audience’s attention, she looked to physical comedy.

Genevieve began building her small part by having her character interact with a doll she was holding. She turned her character from an unremarkable little girl to a creepy, surreal, and hilarious part, reminiscent of the Grady twins from The Shining and Kevin McCallister from Home Alone. Her role was truly one of the funniest parts of the show.

After Hotel Paradiso, Genevieve became more interested in comedy “because [she] liked how much [she] could do and make” with so few lines and so little action. She and a friend, Deanna Faour '16, started writing jokes with the help of Michael Cimino. The following year, Genevieve took an independent study under Cimino where he helped her develop an act and pushed her to do her first standup performances at Lunch at the Improv and before acting shows.

Had Genevieve’s scene in Hotel Paradiso not been cut, she would never have been challenged to persevere and make the most out of her small part. Thanks to what was then adversity, Seattle Academy now has another great performer.